Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-04-01
MEMORIES OF THE WAR.

Last Tuesday at Harrisburg, Pa,
Gen. Simon Cameron celebrated his
88th birthday, and received many con-
CALCULATIONS upon his excellent health.
Reviewing with a correspondent some of
the eventful history of his long pub
lie life the venerable ex-senator and ex-
Secretary of war said:
"Of all my experiences with public
men and events none were so interest
ing as those which brought the country
to the settlement of the slavery question
on the field of battle. There was a
great deal of byplay in the beginning
that has not been heard of yet. 1t is
true that Gen. Robert E. Lee was ten
dered the command of the Union army.
1t was the wish of Mr.. Lincoln's Ad-
ministration that as many as possible
of the southern officers then in the reg
ular army should remain true to the
Nation which had educated them.
Robert E. Lee and Joseph E. Johnston
were then the leading Southern soldiers.
Johnston was Quartermaster-G General
and Lee Colonel of cavalry.
"ln the moves and counter-moves in
the game of war and peace then going
on Francis P. Blair, ST., was prom
inent figure. The tender of the COM
mand of our forces was made to Gen.
Lee through him. Mr.. Blair came to
me expressing the opinion that Gen.
Lee could be held to our cause by the
offer of the chief command of our
forces. I authorized MI. Blair to make
the offer. l then dismissed the matter
from my mind as nearly as could sue
an important subject, for I supposed
from what Mr.. Blair had said, that
Gen. Lee would certainly accept. I
labored under this impression up to the
time that his resi- gnation was received.
Whether Gen. Lee ever seriously con-
sidered the matter do not personally
know. From what Senator Blair said
to ME never had any doubt at the time
but that he did. Ny surprise was very
great when the resignation vas re-
ceived and Gen. Lee went South.
"ln the movements of that sensitive
and tragic period there was much to
contend with. The Cabinet which Mr..
Lincoln had formed was full of cross
purposes. 1t was I. trite saying with
Frank P. Blair, who afterward became
one of the volunteer Generals of our
armies, that Seward thought he could
put down the Rebellion with the frank
ing privilege, and that Chase regarded
the financial end of the Government as
wholly responsible for the grave duties
before the Nation. This wasin great
measure true. for both of them were
cautious and we'll schooled in what was
called the art of state-craft. They
believed in the quiet play of statesman'
ship rather than in the tragedy of the
sword.
''Mr. Lincoln was the grestest char
acter that this country has ever seen
God made him President for just such
an emergency as this country was call
cd upon to meet. All of his admins
trative troubles were caused by the
fact that nearly half his Cabinet looked
upon him as an accident who was only
to last four years. At least three of his
constitutional advisers were from thu
beginning shaping their course to sue
coed him at the end of his first term
Had they sunk their ambitions in ar
earnest support of HIM ana his policy
the road would have been easier. Blu
war is always surrounded by such con
ditions. Armed conflict has its politi
cal sides none the less important many
times than operations on the field. I
was so with the early days of Mr.. Lin
coins Administration, the mistakes O
which were chiefly timidity as to tn
border States.
..Neither Mr.. Chase nor Mr.. Sewart
had faith that the War with the South
was to be q serious matter, and the,
were constantly dallying with that idea
Mr.. Seward was constantly in fear tina
nv administration Of the War Depart
ment would irritate the Southern peo
pie, and Mr.. Chase that our war equip
ment would cost too much money. il
my first annual report I recommends
the arming Of the negroes. This was
step further than any of the Cabine
were willing to even think Of then. ]
j was rejected Us a part of the President
4 annual message, and its publication j,
the leading paper at Washington cause
unstinted criticism. Two years later
/ however, the Administration announce
| it as q part Of its policy. Mr.. Lincol
land I were always friends and our re